


Appreciation

by in_the_next_life



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/F, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 14:51:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18802540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_the_next_life/pseuds/in_the_next_life
Summary: After one whole year, she wanted to show how much she cared.





	Appreciation

“Are you ready to head out?”

 

Strelitzia looked up from the bouquet of flowers that she was rearranging, eyes falling upon bright pink hair and a soft, lazy smile. Ava stood over her, and put a hand on top of her head, fingers gently curling into the long strands and she leaned into the touch.

 

“Mm. Yeah, I suppose so. You’re sure you don’t need my help around here?”

 

“You’ve already stayed for an hour after you got off. Go on, I can take over here.”

 

Her lip poked out slightly in a little pout, and she raised to her feet, reaching out to curl her pinkie around Ava’s, squeezing carefully.

 

“Okay. I love you.”

 

“I love you too. Are you going to go deliver those?”

 

“Mhm. They’re all in full bloom, and some of these were really hard to get, so it seems like the best time to do so.”

 

Ava nodded, leaning in to press a kiss to Strelitzia’s lips and snickering at how bright of a pink her face went afterwards. “Go on. The girls will love them.”

 

She paused to look around the floral shop she worked in, and held up a finger before walking towards the peonies, plucking a lovely peach colored one and examining it for a moment. Returning to Ava, she tucked it behind her ear, brushing a lock of hair out of the way and giving her a little smile of her own.

 

“It goes well with your hair. I know you work here, but… I wanted to give you one, too.”

 

“I love it. I’m going to press it when I get home tonight.”

 

“Alright. I’ll see you later, love.”

 

Ava waved Strelitzia off as she exited the shop, a bundle of various flowers in her hands.

 

It was the one year anniversary day where she had first been introduced to the girls by Skuld on one of their nights out. She wanted to show her appreciation for being accepted so quickly and easily embraced into their polycule, despite all of her anxieties keeping her from opening up as soon as she’d like to.

 

Of course, she had asked before work started where all of the girls would be today, and most of them had answered in a timely matter. A lot of them would be working, and visiting them at their workplaces for an act of affection rattled her nerves, but she had to show how much she cared about them somehow, and simple words weren’t her strong suit. Acts like this were the best way she could do it.

 

As she sat on the bus heading further downtown, her fingers gripping at the colorful foil wrapped around her flowers, she kept her eyes on the petals, counting them over and over again before her stop came. She offered the driver a wave as she stepped off, and shook her loose hair off of her shoulders before raising her shoulders and taking in a breath.

 

Strelitzia held it for a long moment before she relaxed and heaved out a big sigh, eyes closing briefly until she eventually looked up.

 

First, the coffee shop.

 

-

 

Kairi was there, though it was a 50/50 guess on whether or not she would be. Strelitzia had known she was out, but was uncertain on which job she was at at the time. Not that she minded. Even if she hadn’t been there, it could’ve been a nice visit to Roxas and Ephemer. 

 

“Hey, honey!” Kairi called out as soon as she came through the door, and Strelitzia smiled shyly, wiggling her fingers in a little wave. “What’s that you got there?”

 

“Oh… It’s just…” She stumbled over her words, embarrassed now that she was actually here, doing this. Ava was easy, she spent so much time with her at work that she knew it would be an appreciated gesture, but she wasn’t sure how to go about doing it with the others.

 

Kairi simply tilted her head to the side, brows raised in question, but not pushing her. Strelitzia took a long time to come up with what to say, she understood that much. 

 

“...it’s for you.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Or, well.” She looked down to the bouquet in her hands, searching through the flowers for a moment before she found the one she was looking for. She plucked the sunflower from its place, eyes trained on it for a moment longer before she reached out towards the other girl, trying her best to look her in the eye.

 

That was easier said than done, though. 

 

Still, Kairi gasped happily, clapping her hands together once before she reached for the flower, holding it in both hands. “It’s beautiful! I love it! How did you know sunflowers were my favorite?”

 

“Just… a hunch, I suppose.” She had mentioned it once in passing, and Strelitzia tucked that little tidbit away in her head for later use.

 

“Thank you so much.” Kairi gestured for her to come closer towards the counter, and she did with a confused look. It wasn’t enough, apparently, because Kairi still curled her finger inward even after Strelitzia reached the counter. She didn’t question it, and leaned forward until the other girl leaned in as well to peck at her lips.

 

Of course, she immediately flushed.

 

“Kairi,” she squeaked, putting her free hand to her face and standing up straight. There were other people in the shop, and she had been embarrassed to get caught by the other customers but Kairi only snickered, bringing a hand out to smooth it down her long, bright hair.

 

“I love you, honey. Thank you. I’m going to keep it right next to my bed, in the sunlight.”

 

Strelitzia turned her head down to smile at her feet, pleased that Kairi liked her gift so much as to want to put it up. “Of course.”

 

-

 

It seemed like wherever one went, the other was close behind. Namine and Xion were her next visits, and she took in the calming aura of the library as soon as she entered, fingers curling into the foil around the flowers. 

 

Libraries were good. A little more foot traffic than her flower shop, but she could still appreciate them whenever she was in.

 

Namine was at the counter, and Xion was standing on the other side, leaning over the counter with her arms crossed and they both whispered to each other. Strelitzia almost felt bad interrupting. But she knew she wanted to do this.

 

As she approached, Namine was the first to spot her, giving her a fond smile and lifting a hand in greeting. Xion turned her head and grinned, standing up and stepping to the side to allow her some room to join in.

 

That was embarrassing. They wanted her to join their conversation.

 

“Hi,” she whispered, and Namine hummed a laugh, shaking her head.

 

“It’s okay. You can speak up. If you want to,” she added. She knew that it might be difficult for her sometimes, and with her hearing aids, it would be hard to hear the pair if they continued at the volume they were at before.

 

“Oh. Okay.” Her voice is a little louder this time, but she tried to keep it at a library appropriate level. 

 

“Nice flowers.” Xion chimed in, and Strelitzia flustered a bit. “Who are they for?”

 

“Well… Um.” She took in a breath, pulling a lotus and a sprig of forget-me-nots out of her bundle, and quickly pushed them forward towards the other two.

 

“Oh, they’re lovely.” Namine said, and Strelitzia shook her head, glancing between the two before looking down again.

  
“They’re for you. Both of you, I mean.”

 

“Really?” 

 

This time, she nodded, waiting for them to take the flowers from her. She knew they knew which ones to grab. Xion loved the little blue flowers, and Namine was as calming as a lotus felt.

 

“Thanks!” Xion eagerly took hers, examining the flowers and turning the sprig around in her hands. Namine smiled again as she accepted her own, carefully touching at one of the petals.

 

“This is so sweet of you. Thank you.”

 

“Of… of course.” She sounded a little awkward, but Xion took her free hand and gave it a squeeze, causing her took look up to her. 

 

“This is great. I really appreciate this.”

 

“I… appreciate you. Both of you.” She repeated the second part, wanting to make sure that they both understood how much she cared for them.

 

“Are the rest for the others?” Namine questioned, and Strelitzia nodded once more, looking them over to see who she had left to visit. “I guess you better make sure they get them, huh?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“We love you.”

 

Strelitzia fussed at the ends of her hair. Everyone kept saying that to her, and it made her heart flutter in her chest. 

 

Namine held her hand out, and she slipped her fingers from Xion’s to place them in her open palm, accepting the gentle squeeze she was given. 

 

“I’m so glad you do. I love you both.”

 

-

 

Coming across Aqua and Invi was accidental, but she was glad that she managed anyway. She would’ve felt awkward asking them herself, and it would ruin the surprise of gifting the flowers in the first place. 

 

They were downtown, halfway between the library and her next destination, and she nearly jumped when she spotted them. Aqua had called out her name, giving a wave after repositioning her violin into her lap.

 

With school out, the graduates weren’t teaching anymore, giving them all plenty of free time. They must’ve taken an idea from Demyx in their busking idea, both playing their respective instruments with Invi’s cello case open in front of them, plenty of bills lying inside.

 

“Hi, Strelitzia.” Invi pulled her long black hair over one shoulder, idly plucking at her strings and Aqua leaned against her shoulder. “How are you?”

 

“I’m… good. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

 

“It’s so nice out, we thought it’d be good to come out and play for a while.” Aqua explained.

 

“And the extra money must be nice.”

 

“That’s also pretty good.” Invi nodded, pushing her glasses up further on her nose. “Can I say, I’m surprised to see you out by yourself.”

 

“Yeah… I’m kind of doing something, I guess.”

 

“Oh?” Aqua looked curious, sitting up again with a blue brow arching. “What’s that?”

 

“It… kind of involves you two.” She lifted her dwindling bouquet, and removed an orchid to hold out in front of Invi, then a gladiolus to Aqua. It left her with two flowers, and she thought to herself that she would toss the foil at the next trash bin she came across.

 

“Oh, this is so nice. That’s so sweet, are these for us?”

 

“Mhm.” Strelitzia nodded, holding her two remaining flowers behind her back. “I wanted… to show my appreciation for you all.”

 

“You’ve been giving us all flowers? That’s so…” Invi considered her words, looking up briefly before cracking a smile to her. “That’s so cute. Thank you.”

 

She frazzled at the comment, biting at the inside of her lip and scratching at her cheek with a finger. “Of course.”

 

Aqua reached out an arm, and Strelitzia stepped forward. She guided the girl down to kiss her forehead, and gave her a soft smile, giving that gentle comfort to help her calm down from her nerves. Aqua was good at doing that.

 

Invi moved her own hand up to take Strelitzia’s wrist, lifting her hand to press her lips to the back of her hand.

 

Again, she went bright red.

 

“Thank you, sweetie. I love it.”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.”

  
Her head spun from the little kisses and the declarations of love, nodding once and letting out a silent sigh. “I love you.”

 

-

 

The gym was her last stop downtown, and she knew Olette would be here. She had seen her last week and they discussed their schedules, giving each other the option to come see each other.

 

“Strel!” Olette said from across the room, and she tried to shrink in her spot when others inside turned to face her. “Hey!”

 

“Hi, Olette.” She finally said as she crossed towards where she was. “How’s work?”

 

“Oh, you know. It’s tiring. But it’s pretty good!”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“Here to work out with me?”

 

“N-no. I don’t think that’s for me.” She laughed a bit nervously, looking around at the others around them. “I’m not sure I could lift anything.”

 

“No lifting required! Besides, you know I’d spot you.” She winked, and Strelitzia took in a breath.

 

“I’m okay for now. Thank you.” She didn’t give her a chance to say anything else, and held up a chrysanthemum in front of Olette’s face, watching her brows shoot up in surprise by the sudden movement. 

 

“What’s that?”

 

“It’s… for you.” 

 

“For me?” She repeated, and Strelitzia shook her head  _ yes _ , before Olette broke out in a wide smile flashing bright white teeth. “That’s so nice!”

 

Before she even took the flower, she scooped Strelitzia up in a big hug, and while she was damp with sweat, Strelitzia easily returned the hug, burying her nose into Olette’s shoulder.

 

“Thank you, Strel, that’s so so nice. I love this color.”

 

“It’s my pleasure.” She mumbled, twirling the last flower around in her fingers.

 

Somebody approached Olette and asked her for help, and she readily agreed, then looked back down to her flower. She broke off most of the stem, then stuck the flower into her hair, right through her ponytail and then smiled at Strelitzia, who was taking a step back.

 

“Hey,” Olette stopped her for a second, looking to the person that was walking back towards the equipment, then back. “Love you.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

-

 

It was a long, long process, but she was finally done. She headed home, quietly enjoying her bus ride there and her remaining flower was clutched tightly between both hands. 

 

There was only one left.

 

She unlocked the door to her home, and sitting right inside was Skuld, on the couch in the front room with a large book in her lap. Skuld looked up from the pages, wondering which of her partners had come home and looking awfully pleased to see Strelitzia at the door.

 

“Hello, darling.”

 

“Hi, Skuld.” She walked forward, hiding her last flower behind her back and sitting beside Skuld on the couch. Her immediate instinct was to move forward and kiss her cheek, and Skuld laughed quietly, lifting a hand to rest it atop Strelitzia’s head.

 

“How was work? You’re home later than usual.”

 

“Mhm. It was okay. Had something to do.”

 

“Oh yeah? What was that?”

 

Strelitzia shrugged. She couldn’t exactly say without ruining the surprise, so she instead said, “I have something for you.”

 

“You do?”

 

“Mhm.” Strelitzia brought her hand around, and in it was a large lily, holding it above Skuld’s book to make sure she’s got her attention.

 

“Oh…” She breathed out, carefully taking the flower in her hand and examining it closely. “Oh, this is so sweet. It’s gorgeous.” She turned her head to her, a big smile on her face and Strelitzia was completely smitten.

 

“Do we have a vase for it?”

 

“I can grab one for you.”

 

Skuld brought her free hand up, resting it against Strelitzia’s cheek and swiping her thumb across the smooth skin there. Strelitzia leaned into the touch, and Skuld leaned down to press her lips to the other’s for a long moment. When she pulled away, Strelitzia’s eyes were closed, lips parted with a pleased little hum.

 

“Thank you, my love. It’s perfect.”

 

“You. You are.”

 

“No.  _ You _ are.” Skuld corrected, and Strelitzia could only cover part of her face with a hand.

 

“Come on…”

 

“I mean it. Thank you. I’ll cherish it for all it’s life, and well after that.”

 

“I love you, Skuld.”

 

“I love you, darling.”


End file.
